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The Contribution of the International Olympic
Committee to the Millennium Development
Goals
Sport at the Service of our Community
September 2010
International Cooperation and Development Department

OFFICE OF THE PERMANENT OBSERVER FOR THE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE TO THE UNITED
NATIONS
708 Third Avenue, 6th floor – New York, NY 10017 – United States of America / www.olympic.org
Tel:+1.212.209 39 52 – Fax: +1.212.209 71 00 – e-mail: IOC-UNobserver@olympic.org

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Table of Contents
Abbreviations................................................................................................................................. 4
Message ....................................................................................................................................... 5
By Dr Jacques Rogge, President of the International Olympic Committee ...................................... 5
Message ....................................................................................................................................... 6
By Dr Mario Pescante, Permanent Observer for the International Olympic Committee to theUnited Nations..................................................................................................................... 6

1. Introduction ........................................................................................................... 7
Our philosophy .............................................................................................................................. 7
The convening power of sport........................................................................................................ 7
Supporting the MDGs .................................................................................................................... 8

2. Poverty and Hunger - Human Development through Sport............................. 11
Making a difference in communities ..............................................................................................11
Putting human beings first ............................................................................................................12
The Olympic Games legacy..........................................................................................................12

3. Education, a Key for a Better Future ................................................................. 13
Developing body, will and mind.....................................................................................................13
Building on the Olympic Games platform ......................................................................................13
Youth Olympic Games..................................................................................................................13
IOC Athlete Career Programme....................................................................................................14

4. Gender Equality – Women Empowerment through Sport ............................... 15
Gender equality is a priority ..........................................................................................................15
The IOC’s role as an agent for change..........................................................................................15
Building on partnerships ...............................................................................................................16

5. Health Promotion ................................................................................................ 17
Sport as a key for healthy lifestyles...............................................................................................17
Health legacy at Olympic Games..................................................................................................17
Fighting against the HIV/AIDS epidemic........................................................................................18

6. Sport and Sustainability ..................................................................................... 19
Our motto: raise awareness – mobilize - improve.........................................................................19
Improving our future - sustainable Olympic Games .......................................................................19
Raise awareness and knowledge among the Olympic family.........................................................19

7. Global Partnership for Development ................................................................. 21
The Olympic movement – a unique sports network .......................................................................21
Leveraging the UN system and beyond.........................................................................................22

8. Conclusion ............................................................................................................. 23

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Abbreviations

IF

International Sports Federation

IOC

International Olympic Committee

NOC

National Olympic Committee

OCOG

Organizing Committee for the Olympic GamesOVEPIOC Olympic Values Education Programme

WADA

World Anti-Doping Agency

YOG

Youth Olympic GamesDPKOUN Department of Peace-keeping Operations

IFRC

International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

ICRC

International Committee of the Red Cross

ILO

International Labour Organisation

MDGs

Millennium Development Goals

UNAIDS

Joint United Nations Programmes on HIV & AIDS

UNDP

United Nations Development Programme

UNEP

United Nations Environment Programme

UNESCO

United Nations Education Science and Culture Organisations

UN-Habitat

United Nations Human Settlements Programme

UNHCR

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

UNGA

United Nations General Assembly

UNICEF

United Nations Children’ Fund

UNOSDP

United Nations Office on Sport for Development and Peace

UNSG

United Nations Secretary General

WFP

World Food Programme

WHO

World Health Organisation

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Message
By Dr Jacques Rogge, President of the International Olympic Committee
We all know that, beyond physical well-being, sport can play an important role in shaping a safer, more
prosperous and more peaceful society. We all know about the enormous potential of sport, its global
reach, its universal language, its impact on communities in general and young people in particular.
Therefore the International Olympic Committee (IOC), and the Olympic Movement as a whole, strongly
feel a social responsibility to bring sport and its inherent values of sport to all fields of society.
The IOC has identified development goals it believes it can help advance through sport and together
with its partners, namely the National Olympic Committees, the International Federations and the
Olympic Games Organising Committees, but also with governments, United Nations agencies andprogrammes, as well as non-governmental organisations.
We have adopted the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, and have developed a great
partnership with the UN in the fields of youth, gender equality, education, health, environmental
sustainability and combating HIV/AIDS. The Olympic Movement is very active in all of these areas
through projects and partnerships across the globe. You will learn more about these initiatives throughthe following pages of this report. Furthermore, last year’s decision to grant the IOC UN Observer Status
not only paid tribute to these efforts, but, above all, acknowledged the power of sport as a catalyst forsocial change.
The IOC is, above all, a sports organisation. We aim to have a fruitful collaboration and synergy withgovernments and expert bodies in the different fields in order to contribute and make the difference forwhich we all strive. We already have achieved a lot, but let’s do more and accelerate our efforts inmaking the Millennium Development Goals a reality. We can all make a difference and contribute tooffer a better future for the world.

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Message
By Dr Mario Pescante, Permanent Observer for the International Olympic Committee to theUnited Nations
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) was founded more than a century ago to place sport at theservice of humanity. In this third millennium, there is no longer any doubt that the IOC and the sports
movement have a social responsibility, namely to enable the largest number of people to have access tothe practice of sport, and to make this a key element of sustainable social and human well-being forindividuals and society.
This is why the IOC is convinced that sport can help to make the United Nations Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs) a reality. Sport unites the principles that the Olympic Movement holds dear:education, sustainability, non-discrimination, universality, humanism and solidarity. These are also theprinciples at the heart of the MDGs.
Guided by these principles, the IOC has developed a strong network of collaboration, involving the
sports family, governments, numerous UN agencies and programmes, international organisations,NGOs, the business world, and other members of civil society. We have joined together to find solutions
to a wide range of social, economic and environmental problems. All these actions, detailed in thisReport, have acknowledged the role of sport in addressing global challenges.
We are doing our best, but sport alone cannot solve all of the world’s problems. Collaboration will remain
the crucial component in any plan to harness the power of sport in support of the MDGs.
We can all make a difference and contribute to improve the lot of humanity, offering it a better future.

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1. Introduction
by T. A. Ganda Sithole, Director of the Department of International Cooperation and Development.
Our philosophy"The goal of Olympism is to place sport at the service of the harmonious development of man, with aview to promoting a peaceful society concerned with the preservation of human dignity."
Olympic Charter, Fundamental Principles.

There is no doubt that the social and economic effects of globalization, the degradation of theenvironment, and the increasing gap between the haves and the have-nots, call for a concerted effort ofevery citizen of our world, of every social group, to find lasting solutions to the socio-economic malaiseand contribute to sustainable human development.
At the same time, the Olympic Games leave an increasingly positive legacy in terms of sustainablesocial and economic development for the host city and the country at large. And beyond this, theOlympic Games, which generate enormous resources and bring together the best athletes in the world
every two years, are supported daily by all kinds of initiatives to develop sport at grass-roots level
throughout the world that are underpinned by the values of solidarity, peace and human dignity, afundamental principle of Olympism. Indeed, the idea of combining sport and development is not new.
The founder of the IOC and reviver of the modern Olympic Games, Pierre de Coubertin, was already in
his time a strong advocate of international cooperation and of the social and human values of sport.
Based on this long-time commitment as a socially responsible organization, the IOC has therefore
engaged in sports development at grass-roots level aiming to both increase access to physical activity
worldwide and to improve social and human well-being at large. Although sports development cannot bea panacea to solve all the issues of society nor a priority compared to life-subsistence needs of
disadvantaged communities, it can generate many positive effects and be a valuable tool fordevelopment.
The convening power of sport
For those who benefit from these programmes, sport is able to unite where differing national passions,politics, religion and culture often divide. It can foster social integration and identity-building of minorities
and marginalized groups such as street children, child soldiers, ethnic groups or people suffering from
HIV/AIDS. Sport can also support local economic development and create jobs though the numerous
income-generating activities that are linked to its practice. Sport also conveys positive messages andinfluences behavior, just as it can promote self-esteem and interpersonal skills among people, especially
young people. It can fight discrimination and raise awareness about women's rights. It has the ability toenable communities at odds with each other to build bridges between themselves. It helps the healing
process in populations overcoming trauma and brings joy and fun to brighten up their lives. It canalleviate the negative effects of poverty.
As an integral part of basic education, sport supports mental and physical health and instills in people
the discipline of physical activity. It can be a useful platform for preventive and peer education against
HIV and AIDS and other major illnesses affecting populations and high-risk health groups. It reaches out
to young people of all social groups. Participation in sport is a right that every human being should enjoy
without hindrance, just like playing is for children.
Be it in a more formal or informal manner, development through sport has gained recognition and aplace on the agenda of the United Nations and the international community at large, leading tonumerous projects at all levels with the sports community. However, much more still needs to be done.
And the process should start with a universal understanding that sport needs to have a place in theoverall national development plans of countries. To this end, the UN Secretary General’s action to
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appoint a Special Adviser on Sport for Development and Peace and the Member States’ welcome
decision to invite the IOC to participate in the work of the General Assembly as Permanent Observer,
are clear indications of the highest considerations to which nations in their individual capacities, and theinternational community as a united entity, are already accepting the critical role of sport in development.
Supporting the MDGs
Over the years, the Olympic Movement and its constituency have applied immense resources in theareas of development through sport, helping to promote formal education, culture, healthy lifestyles,
human rights, sustainability, gender equality, understanding among peoples and peace, to name a few .
They also assist several humanitarian organisations by providing sports equipment, education material
and aid to victims of wars and natural disasters. Each of these programmes and activities are offering ameaningful contribution to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.

The IOC and international sports associations cooperate with numerous United Nations agencies,
programmes and funds, with member States, as well as with non-governmental institutions, to develop
and implement a range of initiatives using sport as a tool for development. National Olympic Committees
and national sports federations play a critical role as they communicate with billions of young people
throughout the world on a daily basis and they bring to the table specific organisational expertise thatdelivers a cadre of young disciplined generations to be empowered and trained for the roles they willplay as leaders of tomorrow.
The international cooperation and development activities of the IOC have developed steadily over theyears. Back in 1922 during the era of the League of Nations, the IOC and the International Labour
Organisation (ILO) established the institutional cooperation by signing between them a Memorandum ofUnderstanding which became a template for subsequent MoUs for partnerships, cooperation andcollaboration between the IOC and the UN system.
“Sport can be a powerful agent for change that should be leveraged by individuals, businesses,
governments and elite athletes to drive significant positive development and progress in a social,economic and political context. (…) The UN recognises the power of sport as a tool to achieve its
objectives, and in particular the Millennium Development Goals.”
Wilfried Lemke, Special Adviser of the UN Secretary General on Sport for Development and Peace.

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The decision by UN Member States last October, to invite the IOC to participate in the work of the UN
General Assembly as Permanent Observer has raised the level of partnership between sports
organizations around the globe as a whole, and the political leadership of nations to a whole new level
which dictates that more resources are provided to sport by governments and by sport to deliver on its
development commitments.
The UN Permanent Observer status is already providing the IOC with a unique opportunity to enhanceleveraging its strong political and sport network to promote and reinforce dialogue and consultation withMember States and other entities involved in the UN General Assembly, and support the work of the
Office of the Special Adviser to the UN Secretary General on Sport for Development and Peace. The
IOC is privileged to have been entrusted with the important responsibility of being the voice of Olympic
Movement in the UN, and to commit sport without exception, to undertake actions, individually orcollectively, that support the progression of mankind’s common objectives for achieving universal humandevelopment and peace between and among nations.
Since the 1990s, many projects have been implemented by the IOC and its international and local
partners to support development through sport at community level. Each in its own way has contributed
to the targeted improvement of the community’s well-being and access to physical activity. The
examples of programmes, activities and special projects which you will find in the following chapters, as
they related to each MDG, will attempt to showcase the IOC’s modest but committed contribution tothese endeavours. Beyond these programmes and projects there are numerous others which havebeen designed, funded and applied to the cause of human development by other entities big and small,of the sporting movement as a whole. The effect of the FIFA World Cup on South Africa reverberated
throughout the developing world, raising them the confidence to think big and see sport not just as aconsumer of resources but also as a contributor to the socio-economic health of nations.

“The IOC and the sports movement in general have a social responsibility- to provide access to sports
practice, and in so doing to spread the values of sport to all sections of society." Jacques Rogge, IOC
President.

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2. Poverty and Hunger - Human
Development through SportThe IOC being a strong advocate of the convening power of sport, uses various platforms, such as theInternational Forum on Sport, Peace and Development which it organizes biennially, and various major
conferences and seminars organized in collaboration with UN, governmental and non-governmental
entities as well as sports organizations, to raise awareness and to gather support for development
through sport from opinion leaders, governments, the business community, and civil society. Moreover, t
it is also taking concrete steps in the field.
Making a difference in communities
Many projects have been implemented by the IOC and its international and local partners to support
development through sport. Each in its own way has been successful in improving people's well-being
and access to education, health and physical activity.
Recent examples include the inauguration by the IOC President, Dr Jacques Rogge and the Head ofState of Zambia, HE Mr. Rupiah Banda, of the Olympic Youth Development Centre in Lusaka, Zambia
under the Olympic Sports for Hope programme. This multi-purpose complex is not only pushing sports
development in Zambia and the region, but also provides for community activities and is a centre forhealth services and value-based education for youth. The successful set-up of the centre is possible
through a unique collaboration model between the IOC, Zambian sport, the government and six
International Sports Federations. The IOC will set up similar centers in other continents.
The partnership between the IOC and UN-HABITAT focuses on reinforcing the social integration ofyoung people in various developing countries, combating poverty and crime through sport. Projects thatare being undertaken in the Lake Victoria region, in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, and in Laos, areaimed at empowering youth in secondary towns and in slums by providing them employment andemployability skills.
The IOC, the International Labour Organisation (ILO), the National Olympic Committee of Mozambiqueand a local NGO have implemented a poverty alleviation and economic development programme for thecommunity of Boane, supporting the academic education of children from under-privileged families. At
the same time, local women have been organized into an economic cooperative in order to subsidize
family incomes.
With the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) sports elements have been added toinitiatives against poverty in El Salvador. The “Sport for peace and development” project contributed
successful interventions in some of the most violent municipalities in the country. The organization of
special sporting activities at which young people were educated on solidarity, respect for self and others,
co-existence and understanding brought a new dimension to the fight against the high levels of crime.
The project has been integrated into a national programme which is being jointly implemented by UNDPEl Salvador and the Ministry of Public Security and Justice.
In northern Uganda, UNICEF and the NGO Warchild Holland, with the blessing and participation of thegovernment, have been helping children and communities affected by strife, providing education,
protection, organizational skills and hope. The sports element which has and will continue to besupported by the IOC has been aimed at providing children and adults with alternatives to life, to focus
on themselves, the community, healthy behaviors and social cooperation. Related community work wasalso implemented through the project, helping the youngsters to define their role in the community andto increase their self-esteem.

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The World Food Programme (WFP) and the IOC are also joining forces to bring sport, recreation andhealthy lifestyles to schools associated with the WFP School Feeding Programme. Under this particular
programme, the IOC has donated sports kits with basic but relevant sports equipment to schools in
Africa, Asia and the Americas while also making available funds for feeding children and for thecompletion of at least one facility that is now providing medical services to a poor area that had none
before.
Putting human beings first
The Giving is Winning project is a particular IOC humanitarian innovation for the UNHCR which is also
aimed at educating the sporting community, the youth in particular, of the causes of instabilities that
results in the up-rooting of communities.. Collaboration between the IOC and UNHCR dates back some
15 years. Until 2004, the IOC had concentrated on providing educational and sporting materiel only forrefugee camp dwellers under the protection of the UNHCR and renovating facilities or spaces to play.
IDPs and refugees were provided aid to help combat frustration among the affected and provide for theeducation of children and young people. However, in the run-up to the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens,
the collaboration with UNHCR took a distinct new turn with the launch of the innovative Giving is
Winning, a programme that has gained importance and popularity among sportspersons, officials,
international sports organizations and commercial partners over the years. Through this initiative,
National Olympic Committees, Federations, sponsors, sports organizations, athletes, members andsupporters of the Olympic Movement have donated sports and casual clothes for distribution by the
UNHCR to various refugee camps around the globe. More than 100,000 items of clothing, or close to 22
containers, have so far reached people in need in 14 countries.
“Many young refugees spend years languishing in bleak camps around the world. For them, the gift ofsportswear associated with famous athletes from across the Olympic spectrum is a tremendous moralebooster – a sign that the outside world does still care”. Antonio Guterres, United Nations HighCommissioner for Refugees.

With the support of the IOC, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has in Azerbaijan
cleared landmines and rehabilitated outdoor safe play areas for young people to exercise and participate
in outdoor life. The ICRC has also integrated sport in its physical rehabilitation programme in
Afghanistan for victims of landmines among other activities. Sport has had a positive effect not only on
the physical rehabilitation process of the victims, but also on their self-esteem and their reintegration into
society. Sports events are also used to promote preventive measures and treatment while educating
populations on the rights of people with disabilities.
The Olympic Games legacy
The Olympic Games is an event that goes well beyond show-casing sporting excellence. The IOC andthe local Organizing Committees, in partnership with national and local authorities, work jointly to ensurea lasting and positive legacy to the host city, the region and the country at large. Mega sport events
these days are specifically designed to contribute to economic development and defined causes that
directly benefit cities, countries and their inhabitants.. Job creation, lasting economic benefits,environmental sustainability and infrastructural development such as housing, roads andcommunications are provided with a long term view of contributing to the welfare of the people.

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3. Education, a Key for a Better Future

Developing body, will and mind
“Sport is a powerful tool for reaching out to today’s youth on all continents and for educating themearly on about healthy and responsible behaviours,” explained IOC President Jacques Rogge.

Education underpins the entire set of MDGs. It is similarly the cornerstone of Olympism, a philosophy
which aims at educating youth through sport and its values. The base of the IOC’s work in this regard is
its global youth strategy. Taking into account the IOC’s social responsibility and the importance of sport
for and to young people, the IOC has devised a multi-level strategy aimed at maintaining young people’sinterest in sport, encouraging them to practise it and promoting value-based education. The Olympic
values reflect the notion of ‘sport as a school of life’, as idealised by the founders of the modern Olympic
Games.
The IOC “Olympic Values Education Programme” (OVEP) forms part of this perspective. The project
was designed for children and youths and particularly with developing countries in mind. The IOC
has now teamed up with UNESCO to apply this programme to its network of schools in line with theorganization’s mandate to enhance and enrich quality education worldwide. That said, one of the mostsuccessful applications of Olympism was the Olympic educational project undertaken by authorities in
the People’s Republic of China.
The IOC biennial World Conference Sport, Culture and Education brings together representatives andpartners of the Olympic Movement, government representatives, academics and artists around the tablewith UNESCO to reflect and find better ways to ensure that culture and education remain a focus ofsport. Like all other IOC forums of this nature, this year’s conference, the seventh in the series, will also
be open to all and will be held in Durban, South Africa from 5-7 December 2010.
Building on the Olympic Games platform
The Olympic Games are more than a sports competition. In addition, they offer a unique platform topromote value based education and shape the bodies and minds of our future generations. In the run-up
to the 2008 Olympic Games, 400 million children and youths were engaged in an all-encompassing
educational programme that opened them to each other and the world at large. The success of Olympic
Games is not only determined by the spectacular performances by athletes but also by the depth of thecorresponding educational and cultural programmes.
.
China may have been exceptional but only as it relates to the numbers of participants. Vancouver in
British Columbia, Canada hosting the 2010 Olympic Winter Games and Paralympic Games delivered an
educational and cultural package that touched 2’100 schools in the province and was available to therest of the country. The story will be repeated in London in the run-up to, during and after the 2012
Olympic Games.
Youth Olympic GamesAs part of the all important Culture and Education Programme (CEP) of the Youth Olympic Games(YOG), the IOC and its partner organizations ensured that participants at the inaugural Games in
Singapore participated as much in athletic undertakings as they did in fun-filled activities during which
they were exposed to human values -sustainability, anti-doping, Olympism, HIV/AIDS prevention,
children's rights, fair play, first aid and humanitarian assistance. The Games broke new ground in thecollaboration between the IOC and the United Nations. For the first time, the UN entities directly
imparted knowledge to the youth. Such was the success of his collaboration that the IOC is now
considering how this involvement could be extended to future games.
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IOC Athlete Career Programme
A successful life in high-level sport does not necessarily mean a successful professional life. Many
Olympic Champions or elite athletes more generally face socio economic difficulties after retirementfrom the sport as they will not necessarily have employable skills. The IOC is engaged in an ambitious
project that aims at ensuring that athletes are emotionally, physically and educationally able to face thecompetitive world beyond the sports field. This is over and above the raft of educational programmes,
some provided and sponsored by international sports organizations, which are undertaken incollaboration with specialist universities around the globe.

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4. Gender Equality – Women
Empowerment through Sport

Gender equality is a priority
Gender equality is of critical importance to the IOC, and to the world of sport in general; it is a matter offairness, it is a human right that women and girls should be accorded the same opportunities as theother half of humanity. The IOC accepts the universal convention that women are underrepresented in
all aspects of life – political, economic and social. And that all of us must do our best to contribute to theinternational agenda of righting the situation. The situation in sport reflected this conventional balanceon both the playing field and in administrations.
The goal was and is to ensure that girls and women are given equal opportunities to engage in sport andphysical activities throughout their life-span. The development of women’s sport is one aspect of a moregeneral social and cultural evolution which provides increased recognition of the roles and needs ofwomen in society. These roles and needs are very similar to those already enjoyed by men and are
signposts of a healthy society. While being mindful of the many other challenges that women in theworld face in their daily lives, the issue of women in sport is directly related to human and social rights.
Sport is an integral part of society and exerts an influence on our lifestyle and on our social perceptions.
The fundamental principles of the Olympic Charter state that every human being must have thepossibility of practising sport in accordance with his or her needs.
As a matter of fact, access to sport and physical activity is fully part of international conventions anddocuments that have been adopted by the United Nations and other institutions, such as the Beijing
Platform for Action and the Convention on the Elimination of All forms of Discrimination against Women(CEDAW). While sport may not be considered a first priority when compared to other issues such as
poverty, basic education, domestic violence or access to credit, sport clearly plays a significant role in
the overall development and enhancement of women’s role in our society. The impact of sport on the
lives of women and girls goes beyond social integration and health benefits. By engaging in activities
that have traditionally been closed to them, women can also create a new social status and reassert
their identity in society.
The IOC’s role as an agent for change
The International Olympic Committee was founded more than a century ago to harness the power ofsport in service of humanity. As a product of its era, the IOC initially had little interest in women’s
participation. However, times have changed and the IOC has played an important role in establishing a
positive trend to enhance women's participation in sport, especially in the last 20 years, taking action in
the field of advocacy, especially among National Olympic Committees (NOCs) and International Sports
Federations (IFs). The objective being to raise awareness of the need to ensure strict equality between
men and women, to provide women with wider access to sports activities, as well as encouraging themto take leadership positions in sports administration.
The goal of gender equality in sport is now enshrined in the Olympic Charter, the Olympic Movement’s
guiding document. The charter declares that “the practice of sport is a human right,” specificallydenounces gender discrimination and refers to the IOC’s role “to encourage and support the promotionof women in sport at all levels and in all structures.”
The latest Olympic Congress which took place in Copenhagen in October 2010 has put the issue ofequality high on its agenda. It was recommended that high priority be given to the advancement of
women and girls both in and through sport and requested the Olympic Movement to use all means inorder to achieve gender equality. In the Olympic Games context, looking back when women competed
for the first time in the 1900 edition, they accounted for just 2 % of the competitors. Today, more than 40
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Reference document% of them are women, and the IOC is committed to achieving equality of opportunity, in close
partnership with the International Sports Federations and the Organizing Committees of the Olympic
Games. With the addition of women’s boxing to the programme at the 2012 London Olympic Games,
women will compete in every sport at those Olympic Games.
Working with young people offers the best hope for advancing gender equality in the long term because
they will soon be in a position to challenge outdated notions about the role of women in society. Sport isa great way to engage young people. The new Youth Olympic Games whose first edition was held in
Singapore last August provided a resounding opportunity to use sport in support of girls and women’s
empowerment and the achievement of the MDGs generally. Female participation reached 46% andseveral interactive sessions offered to the young participants in the framework of its Cultural and
Educational Programme helped to raise awareness about health related issues and leadership.
Beyond its initiatives in the context of Olympic Games and Youth Olympic Games, the IOC activities
span from technical and financial assistance through the 205 National Olympic Committees forcommunity-based programmes for women/girls empowerment through sport, provision of sport andrecreation facilities, to skills development training programmes on management and leadership for
women. Under the leadership of its Medical Commission, the IOC is also working against sexual
harassment and abuse in sport, including gender harassment, sexual abuse, homophobia, hazing andbystanding, to help young people engaged in sport to protect themselves and develop prevention
programmes among sports organisations.
The IOC also organizes advocacy initiatives such as a quadrennial World conference which gathers
hundred of participants from all sectors of society and the IOC Women & Sport Awards which arerecognizing women, men or organizations who have made major contribution to furthering the cause of
women and girls in and through sport. The members of the IOC Women and Sport Commission are
also particularly active in raising awareness about gender equality in their respective domains of sports
expertise throughout the year.
Building on partnerships
Today’s reality is that the world of sport, like many other sectors of society, is far from gender balanced.
Although its expansion is encouraging and much progress has been seen in the field of play, muchremains to be done at the leadership level. Of all the sectors of activity, the management andadministration of sports organisations is certainly the one in which greater efforts must be made toaddress the inequalities which still exist. The IOC recognised the need to keep the pressure on and tohave a multi-sector approach dealing with women and sport issues. Nevertheless, the trend is clear andpositive for women. The desire for more progress is driving many sports organizations that have decided
to work towards a more inclusive model of society for the future generations.
The IOC policy for women’s empowerment through sport has been developed and implemented throughnumerous partnerships with sports organizations, UN agencies and programmes, NGOs and othermembers of civil society. Our partnerships seek to advance, through sport, our mutual goals of genderequality and women empowerment which have, as recognized, a large multiplier effect on the other
MDGs.
For instance, fighting sexual-gender based violence through sport is area of IOC intervention alongside
the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Through this programme, the targeted
youths learn an enhanced sense of team play, leadership, cooperation and decision-making skills, andbecome knowledgeable on sexual gender-based violence including sexual exploitation. Working
together on a team with a common goal to succeed athletically is at the core of this process to facilitate
behavior changes.

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5. Health Promotion

Sport as a key for healthy lifestyles
Today’s world poses many health challenges that undermine the capacity of communities and future
generations to live and prosper in a balanced way. Just to name a few , the increased impact of noncommunicable diseases on the mortality rate in developed and developing countries is alarming; malaria
or polio are continuing to expand their deadly hand on the most vulnerable populations, miscarriage andbirth mortality are curtailing progress on maternal health, and sedentary behaviors or drug abuse are
ramping and jeopardize the future of youth in many countries.
The IOC’s work on healthy lifestyles promotion builds on these grounds. Its first level of intervention is in
its own arena: high-level sport and the Olympic Games. Health promotion and assistance takes anotherdimension here but is just as important for those who benefit from it. The IOC has been working on theprotection of athletes’ health, through a strong programme to fight doping in sport, and the prevention of
injuries.
The IOC has also been working with the World Health Organization (WHO) since the 1980’s on the
promotion of physical activity for health more generally. This is true not only for campaigns such as the"Move for Health" and the "Tobacco-Free Sport" but also more generally for the support against noncommunicable diseases, physical inactivity being one of the most important risk factors in this respect.
With the recent signature of a new Memorandum of Understanding, both organizations are giving a clear
sign of their willingness to step up their collaboration and streamline their efforts to promote physicalactivity across the globe and all age groups.
In cooperation with the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), it
supports children's anti-measles and anti-polio programmes in Africa by financing advocacy activities
through sport amongst youngsters and rural populations. The projects are implemented in collaboration
with the local National Olympic Committees and the National Red Cross Societies.
Health legacy at Olympic Games
Since 1988, the IOC has adopted a Tobacco-free policy for its Olympic Games, guaranteeing a smokefree environment in the Olympic venues and joining forces with WHO and local Health authorities to run
information campaigns about the dangers of tobacco for health. Similarly, IOC and WHO have partneredto provide information about nutrition and healthy lifestyles to athletes and visitors participating in the
Games. More generally, an important work is also carried out with Organizing Committees in each hostcountry in developing and implementing a comprehensive health legacy policy which impacts the whole
population in the long-term through a strengthened public health system. This activity includes disease
surveillance, risk management and health emergency response; an enhanced living environment for thehost city citizens; and an increased health awareness among the community in general.
The Youth Olympic Games also provide another meaningful platform to tackle health issues withyoungsters and educate them about healthy behaviors. As part of the Culture and Education programmeof the YOG’s first edition in Singapore last August, participating athletes and visitors were able to learn
about making right choices when faced with drugs or what doping is all about through interactive andpositive activities run by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). The International Federation of the Red
Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has, for its part, run information activities to sensitize youth
about first aid and blood donation. In a dedicated “Health Zone” in the Athletes’ Village, the young
athletes could also learn about nutritional aspects and implications of a healthy body image throughinteractive games and educational videos.
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Fighting against the HIV/AIDS epidemic“An estimated 33.4 million people are living with HIV, and there are 2,500 new HIV infections per day
among young people, many of whom are involved in sports, either as spectators or as participants. It isvitally important for young people to have access to information about HIV so that they can stay HIVfree and lead healthy and productive lives. The sports community is a key partner in reaching out toyoung men and women, whether in their village or town, or globally.” Michel Sidibé, UNAIDS Executive
Director

The AIDS epidemic poses a real and serious threat to human existence, development and security. The
fact that it targets and incapacitates mainly the young people who form the backbone of the Olympic
Movement programmes, raises concern for the IOC. The sports community has not been spared. It is a
responsibility of the Olympic Movement to make a contribution, as part of civil society. It is in thisframework and based on the fundamental principle of Olympism which strives to place sport at theservice of mankind that the IOC has developed a policy and related programmes of activities tocontribute to this global fight. Its activities aim at promoting AIDS awareness and HIV prevention, as wellas fighting related discrimination, for everyone and particularly among the sports community. This
programme is implemented in cooperation with the Joint United Nations Programme against HIV and
AIDS (UNAIDS), and with Churches United for Africa (CUAHA), two organisations which are particularly
active in policy development and community work.
On the advocacy side, the IOC has been running special campaigns during the Olympic Games, in close
partnership with the organizers and UNAIDS. Targeting athletes and officials in the Olympic Villages,
these campaigns aim at raising awareness about the epidemic and healthy behaviours and encourage
athletes to become ambassadors of this fight in their own country. The IOC also organises regional
workshops on HIV/AIDS prevention through sport, gathering together representatives of National
Olympic Committees and experts from UNAIDS, the IFRC, UNICEF, and other local partners to discuss
how sport could help support national and international efforts to curb the spread of the AIDS epidemic,
especially among young people.
In support to these initiatives, the IOC and UNAIDS have published the first Toolkit for HIV & AIDS
prevention through sport. Specifically designed for members of the sports community, it offers more
information about the epidemic, how prevention can be effective, how sport can be beneficial for HIV
positive persons, all about testing and counseling, specific suggestions for activities for youngsters in theage bracket of 10 to 15 years and over, as they are a crucial target group for prevention.

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6. Sport and Sustainability

Our motto: raise awareness – mobilize - improve
With environment as the third pillar of Olympism, alongside sport and education and culture, theInternational Olympic Committee has played an important role in the development of the sport andenvironment agenda. It established a policy that seeks to provide greater resources to sustainable
development in and through sport at national, regional and international level, and particularly at the
Olympic Games. It applies considerable financial resources to this programme and has created a Sportand Environment Commission as an advisory body.
The IOC policy is enshrined in the Olympic Charter and built on two main objectives: it strives topromote Olympic Games which respect the environment and meet the standards of sustainable
development; it also aims to promote awareness among and educate the members of the Olympic
family and sports practitioners in general of the importance of a healthy environment and sustainable
development.
The IOC policy also finds its roots and scope in a strong and long-lasting partnership with the United
Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Over the years, UNEP has proved to be a solid enabler of
the IOC’s activities in sustainable development and a fruitful partner to Organizing Committees of
Olympic Games in the elaboration and implementation of their environmental policies. In February 2003,
the UNEP Governing Council formally adopted a "Sport and the Environment" strategy, which seeks tofurther promote the linkages between sport and the environment among the general public.
Improving our future - sustainable Olympic Games
From the beginning of a city's wish to stage an Olympic Games, through to the long-term effects of theGames, sustainability is a prime element for planning and operations. The IOC and its Olympic
partners, since the early 1990's, have progressively taken this into account throughout the lifecycle of an
Olympic Games project, the "Green Games" concept becoming increasingly a reality. Olympic Gamesare above all about sport and the athletes, but they can bring several important environmental outcomes
if they are planned, managed and conducted in a way which minimizes the adverse environmental
impacts and effects. The opportunity of the Games can also be used to provide sustainable
environmental legacies, such as rehabilitated and revitalized sites, increased environmental awareness,and improved environmental policies and practices. They can further encourage and facilitate strong
environmental actions, technology and product development in a city, country and beyond, through theeducational value of good examples. It is important to note that positive legacies can occur whether or
not a Bid is successful. For example, a Bid may include the rehabilitation and regeneration of adegraded public area of a city for an Olympic Games venue which goes ahead during the bid and iscompleted even if the city is not awarded the Games.
For an Olympic Games to be correctly considered a "Green Games", the Organising Committee andother key stakeholders, such as governments and sponsors, must develop, abide by and successfully
implement a range of environmental and sustainability standards, management systems, practices,
policies and actions which minimize adverse effects, maximize benefits and create lasting, sustainablelegacies. The actions should raise the standard of environmental practices and policies and, overall,
improve environmental conditions in a city and country. .
Raise awareness and knowledge among the Olympic family
Since 1997 advocacy workshops on sport and environment are organized each year by the IOC, in
operation with UNEP on different continents for National Olympic Committees. UNEP regional
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representatives, government representatives, experts of national environmental agencies, local
authorities and other parties concerned by this issue are also part of these seminars.
Since 1996, a biennial World Conference on Sport and Environment also brings together
representatives and partners of the Olympic Movement, as well as of governments, international andnon-governmental organizations concerned with environmental matters, industry and business sectors,
research institutes, media, etc. The aim of these conferences is to regularly assess the progress madein the field of sustainable development by the Olympic Movement, give an opportunity to provide newknowledge on these issues by sharing experiences and expertise from different sectors of society,encourage cooperation in, and further development of, environmental policies in relation to sport.
The IOC Award for Sport and the Environment is also used to recognise and celebrate theachievements of individuals, groups and organisations that taken action to drive environmental efforts
within their community. Selected winners from the 5 continents are presented as shining examples fortheir innovative approach and social awareness in making sustainability a priority.
To support the IOC activities and the Olympic movement more generally as environment protection isplaced higher on its sporting agenda, various publications on the subject have been developed. In 1999
the Olympic Movement adopted an Agenda 21 for the sports community, highlighting special issues andchallenges that sportsmen and sportswomen can address to ensure the sustainable development ofsport.
To help the different members of the Olympic family transform the Agenda 21 recommendations into
concrete actions, the “IOC Guide to Sport, Environment and Sustainable Development” wascreated. The Guide offers methodological and practical tools to the sport community, based on the major
principles of sustainable development. In addition, a pocket guide to practical environmental action bymembers of the Olympic Movement is to be published in the coming months. Similarly, in response to
the upcoming Earth Summit in 2012, the IOC and UNEP are also currently working on a second editionof the Agenda 21, encompassing the emerging challenges that are faced by society in terms ofsustainability and integrating the numerous best practices which have been implemented in the sporting
community in these last years.
More recently, with young athletes participating to the inaugural Youth Olympic Games (YOG) in
Singapore, the IOC has brought its advocacy and awareness raising activities to another level. As partof the YOG Culture and Education Programme (CEP), UNEP has been teaching athletes and visitors
about sustainability, using “energy bicycles” to power light bulbs and a stereo system to educate themon the importance of energy efficiency, as well as encouraging them to become the role models of the
future in their respective community.
Mobilize at community level
The IOC work on sustainability promotion stretches out to communities as well, where National Olympic
Committees have taken the lead and put sustainability higher on their agenda, using national experts
and ingenuity. The Ecuador Olympic Committee Sport and Environment Commission undertakes anumber of activities every year aimed in particular at cleaning up and remediating and ensuring accessto surf beaches, on the mainland and in the Galapagos National Park. The “Marine Clean-up Campaign”
involves the rehabilitation and recovery of vital and fragile ecological site, which is also a natural sportingarea. Future planning also includes the conversion of 18 hectares adjoining with some of the best
surfing locations in Ecuador into an environmentally protected recreational area.
The Danish National Olympic Committee has an environmental policy and code worked out through the
National Sports Federations. It has done innovative work in producing guidelines for the sporting
movement on observing environmental principles, such as a handbook for builders of sports facilities on
how to balance environmentally-friendly facilities and athletes’ requirements. The NOC has a project
directed towards the owners of outdoor sports grounds and facilities with a view to reducing to aminimum the use of pesticides and fertilisers, taking into account the importance of preserving fresh
groundwater.

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7. Global Partnership for Development

The Olympic movement – a unique sports network
The Olympic Movement is about people. It is people centered, people oriented and, one might dare say,a people’s movement. But more important, it is for young people, the “Now Generation” without who thevery future of the world is in peril. In its role as leader of the Olympic Movement and guardian of the
Olympic ideals and values, the International Olympic Committee has worked tirelessly for over a century
to place sport at the centre of the harmonious development of mankind. The founder and the reviver ofthe modern Olympic Games, Pierre de Coubertin, was already in his time a strong advocate ofinternational cooperation and of the social and human values of sport.
Of course, the IOC remains above all a sports organisation. Sport is its core business and its main goal
is to organise the Olympic Games and to develop sport and its practice worldwide from grass-roots levelto elite performances. Hence much of what the IOC and sports organizations are planning to supportsocio-economic development could not be possible without strong comprehensive and multi-sector
partnerships. The examples that have been featured in the previous chapters attest for that.
Nevertheless the IOC is committed to being engaged in the local community and be an active memberof civil society in addressing its challenges. The MDG achievements and the gap which remain at the
global, regional and country level, call for an acceleration of action and an increased involvement of civilsociety to scale up impact and effectiveness. This is where we come in.
Sport is not the panacea for all of society’s ills. The added value which the Olympic Movement and the
IOC are offering in this context is the uniqueness of the sports network which provides an enabling
environment for the realization of the MDGs. Sport is a universal language. The power of sport as a tool
to catalyze, empower, raise awareness, mobilize, unite, educate, prevent, instill behavior changes, orprovide opportunities for human development across the board is meaningful and increasingly
recognized by governments, international organisations, NGOs and other influential groups. It is in thisframework that it is important to look at the inclusion of sport development into the Official Development
Aid and engage in a constructive dialogue with governments in this regard.
The unique contribution that the sports network is making to this global effort is also its expertise andknowledge of recreation, physical activity, and sport practice more generally. The billions of women andmen, most of them volunteers, who are making the reality of sport across the five continents day by day
are the real engine of this movement.
Beyond making available this world-wide network, the IOC’s direct contribution to a global partnershipfor development is by placing its advocacy and communication platforms at the service of these causes
as well as by providing technical and financial resources that can be leveraged to support existingdevelopment programmes executed by expert organizations and governments.
The best example is embedded in the Olympic Games themselves, which represent a cross-cutting
exercise of cooperation with governments, local development authorities, Organizing Committees,
International Sports Federations and National Olympic Committees to ensure their positive legacy forthe athletes, the city and the community at large. But beyond this, the IOC is using the Olympic Gamesto bring to the forefront human development issues around the world.
For grass-root projects of community development through sport, the IOC comes in at different levels,
be it as a donor, a contributor or a convener of the project itself. But whatever the scenario, the key word
remains “partnership”.

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Leveraging the UN system and beyond
The decision in 2005 by world leaders to formally recognise the value of sport to human development
and its contribution to the achievement of the UN Millennium Development Goals was the turning pointin the very evolution of the IOC’s approach to development through sport, as this set a clear politicalframework. Since then, the IOC and many international federations have increased resource allocation
to education, human development through sport, humanitarian actions and support for youth andsocieties in conflict or post-conflict situations. The recently granted UN Observer status to the IOC has
subsequently brought this to a higher level within the UN family and the international community at large,
with a view to strengthening the IOC’s contribution, better directing its efforts and adding value to whatorganisations and governments are currently undertaking. This comes as added support to the Office of
the Special Adviser on Sport for Development and Peace in making the case for sport as a tool forhuman development.
One of the biggest challenges which our society is facing is certainly peace and stability. There is noroom for development and human well-being in a community that is torn apart by civil strife or war. Sportcan contribute, and effectively be an agent of change and peace-building. A meeting of minds isobvious, between the sport and political leadership. As much as it cannot enforce or maintain peace,
sport plays a vital role to play in building a better and more peaceful world as it appeals to the generalityof the community and to the young people who are prone to pick up a gun and fight. Every day, sport isfacilitating dialogue between different communities and is a catalyst for mutual understanding in oursociety. Some of the initiatives which have been successfully undertaken by the IOC with UN peacekeeping missions, the sport community and governments in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia,
Côte d’Ivoire or Haiti, are proof to that. And here again, partnership is and will remain the key tosuccess.
“I don’t know if forward Mahmood is Shia, Sunni or Kurdish. Nor do I know what sorrows his family
suffered under Saddam’s dictatorship or during these years of civil war. It’s enough for me to knowththat he’s Iraqi and that yesterday, with that header at the 20 minute of play, he gave us a few hours ofenthusiasm like never before. The celebrations that yesterday took place in the streets of Baghdad,
Bassora, Mosul and other cities from north to south, from east to west, deserve respect from thewhole world. No one, no one suspected that someone could have blown himself up or attack people
during these festivities for the victory of their team. Yes, it’s true, it won’t be long before the next car
bomb, and the war we’re all too used to will certainly not be resolved by the Asian Cup. However, thatgoal of Mahmood’s should move you whatever your opinion might be about our tragedy. Because that
1-0 made us forget, even if only for just a few days, our divisions as to race, religion and political
ideology. For just a moment, Iraq took on the semblance of an almost normal country. And if in a few
days time we are once again struck by the tragedy of war, well then sport has today given us theillusion, has made us dream that in a few year’s time Iraq may go back to being united, as it is in
sport, but this time to celebrate its harmony, found anew. “ Iraqi journalist Rafid Al-Badr, reporting on
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8. Conclusion
The remaining five years are a challenge for all of us as we strive to achieve the Millennium
Development Goals. Our common progress is racing against the impact of international financial andeconomic crises, and the range of triggering effects they have on poverty alleviation, security,
employment, health, education, and sustainability altogether. This is the environment in which sports
organisations and the IOC are to move as well. Scaling up our progress cannot be done without stronger
synergies and open dialogue to maximise resources and capacities.
The empowerment of women is also at the core of this acceleration process which we are looking to put
in place. The latter is at the core of the IOC policy and programmes as well and will be further reinforcedin the years to come. Strengthening leadership and entrepreneurship capacities for women in andthrough sport will inevitably bring women to the forefront and enable our communities to benefit from theincreased contribution of over half of the world’s population. In this regard, the IOC welcomes theestablishment of “UN Women” and is committed to develop a comprehensive partnership strategy withthis new entity. The IOC forthcoming World Conference on Women in Sport, coming up in 2012 in theUSA, will be another major opportunity to put gender equality on the sporting and political agenda of ourcommunity and determine the future priority areas of intervention of the Olympic movement in this field.
Empowering youth is another core dimension of this acceleration process. The new Youth Olympic
Games have a unique and resounding capacity to leverage a sporting experience to enable thousandsof young athletes to become aware on the socio-economic issues we face and ultimately more engaged
in their communities to address them. The first YOG edition in Singapore in 2010 has brought many
positive outcomes and the potential to increase its impact in the future is enormous. The IOC willcontinue to build on this event and other education strategies to reach out, through sport, to young girls
and boys across cultures and continents and help them become more responsible and committed
citizens.
More than ever the IOC believes that in order for sport to survive and thrive it has to contribute toseeking answers to society’s real concerns while at the same time being true to its own values of drugfree competition that is driven by a passion for sport itself, fair play and respect. The past Organising
Committees of the Olympic Games have set a high standard for contributing to human development.
Both Vancouver in 2010 and London in 2012 have raised the bar even higher: Vancouver with its
involvement of the indigenous peoples in the organisation of the Games, action that has brought peaceand harmony where none was known between the four host First Nations; and London with its
International Inspiration programme, a comprehensive sport for development programme across the UK
and 20 countries, that is already benefiting tens of thousands of children and youngsters around theworld through multiple partnerships at government, civil society and UN levels.
One cannot expect the sports movement to succeed where social and political movements have failed.
International institutions or governments are the competent authorities in addressing mankind’s socioeconomic problems. However, where sport can contribute, it shall strive to do so and will continue towork in this direction. This is and will remain at the core of the IOC mission in society. As the leader of
the Olympic Movement, it will continue to act as a catalyst for collaboration, with the ultimate objective of
making the world a better and more peaceful place through sport.

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